Tarot Reading Tips

Tarot Reading Tips

by Jamie White

January 27th, 2018

4 min-read

Tarot is an ancient practice with some interesting history behind it. Like with many such practices, it’s getting more popular and mainstream as the years go by. If you’ve thought of beginning your own Tarot journey, here are some tips to help you along.

Starting out right

Picking the right deck is essential. If possible, it’s a great idea to physically handle the deck you’re planning to get first. As you do, keep in mind several factors:

How does the deck make you feel? Do you feel relaxed, or is there a knot building in your stomach?

You’ll want to make sure the deck is cleared of any previous energy. Most decks come with their own guidelines on how to prepare the deck for use. If not, you can try these options.

Envision a bright light filling the deck with positive energy

Cleanse with Sage or Palo Santo

Put it in the moonlight

Use affirmations along with these methods to set your intentions.

Using your deck

Now that you’ve chosen and prepared your deck, you’re ready to get working. There are some things to keep in mind as you do.

First, you’ll want to choose the right spread. If you’re just starting out, you’ll probably want to get a feel for things by drawing just one card, and no more than a three-card spread. Once you feel comfortable, try searching for tarot spreads online while keeping the purpose of your reading in mind. You’ll be sure to find one that suits your purpose.

Shuffle the cards while keeping your question in mind. When it feels right stop, and draw your cards. I also like to cut the deck before drawing, and I was taught by a friend to tap the cards three times with one finger before drawing. It’s like a blessing on the deck.

Once your spread is complete, draw each card one at a time and reflect on the imagery, colors, suit, and the meaning assigned to the card in the booklet that came with your deck. Use your intuition to figure out what the card is saying to you. Sometimes a book will assign several meanings to a card, so it’s important to keep in mind how you feel as you read each one to determine what definition applies to you.

If you’re looking for further spreads, history, and information one can get from their deck that might not be in the booklet, I highly recommend Tarot for Writers. It’s a great resource for anyone who is interested in the art of Tarot.